You are here

Off Campus Study

Opportunities for study and research extend far beyond the boundaries of the UMass Amherst campus. Each year, Commonwealth Honors College students travel as near as neighboring Amherst College and as far as Israel, Brazil, and Taiwan to expand their academic and cultural horizons.

Five Colleges, Inc. Program

Nowhere else in the United States is there such a concentration of top-ranked colleges in such a scenic setting as is available in the historic Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts. Through the Five Colleges, Inc. program, students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have direct access to the wide range of courses and faculty at neighboring Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College.

National Student Exchange

Those who wish to expand their horizons beyond the Valley may take advantage of the National Student Exchange (NSE), a network of over 170 public universities and colleges in 48 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada. Through the Exchange they spend up to one year attending college in another state at the cost of UMass Amherst tuition.

Study Abroad

Students may also experience the challenges and rewards of study abroad through a number of summer as well as academic-year programs. Commonwealth Honors College and the International Programs Office co-sponsor the International Scholars Program, which allows highly qualified freshmen to integrate international studies coursework at the University with study abroad during their Junior year. In conjunction with UMass-based Living Routes, Commonwealth Honors College also supports a variety of Community Service Learning programs around the world. And in close partnership with the University's Oxford Summer Seminar, the College offers its members a summer of study at England's prestigious Trinity College.

The International Programs Office additionally offers University students the opportunity to select from over 100 exchange programs in more than 30 countries, ranging from total immersion in a non-English speaking country to English speaking programs in both English and non-English-speaking countries.